Field
The present disclosure relates to irrigation systems and methods. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an underground irrigation device and related methods.
Description of the Related Art
Many types of irrigation systems currently exist. Many of such systems rely on nozzles to distribute water in the form of a spray. These spray systems are inefficient in that they subject the distributed water to evaporation prior to being absorbed into the ground. Other systems utilize conduits to deliver water to a location near a plant base thereby reducing the total water use and the loss to evaporation. Such systems are often referred to as drip irrigation systems. However, drip systems typically deliver water to an above-ground location, which may be sufficient for small plants and flowers with roots close to the ground surface, but may be less effective with larger plants or trees.
PCT Publication No. WO 2006/112802 discloses an irrigation system comprising an irrigation device that is buried underground near the root of a large plant or tree. The device includes a perforated container that can be filled with a granular material to inhibit or prevent ingrowth of roots or entry of soil into the perforated container. The underground device is connected to a source of water and water is supplied through a suitable conduit to the perforated container. The water exits the container at a location near the root of the large plant or tree to improve the availability and utilization of the supplied water. With such a system, water usage can be reduced compared to conventional irrigation systems.